The Pariah Child & the Ever-Giving Stone


FANTASY:  Sarafina Wickeson loves to play with the fairies in the woods by her house.  One day, after suffering a broken arm while playing, her mother leaves her in an insane asylum for a short time, so Sarah can see what happens to people who see fairies.  After this terrifying ordeal, Sarah agrees to firmly shut her eyes and mind to the fairy realm and to act like a normal girl.  All goes well until nine years later when she is cornered by a wolf and the fantasy realm comes crashing back into her life.  Sarah soon finds herself in possession of a mystical stone that transports her and her friend Jacob to the realm of Lyrica, which is slowly dying. In her quest to return the sacred stone to the volcano and save Lyrica, Sarah meets all types of fantasy creatures, some who will help her and some who seek to harm her. Will she survive her quest to restore Lyrica before it is too late?

With the story touching on many well-known fantasy elements, readers of the genre will find many familiar plot lines and characters in this book.  World building, backstory telling, and character description could be better, but the dialogue that propels the plot is well written.  While the main story arc of the book is wrapped up by the end, many unanswered questions remain and leave the reader with a feeling of unfinished business.  Watching Sarah grow in confidence, however, is a very satisfying.

Elissa Blabac